Tube dispensing device having pivotally mounted housing members with transversely slidable pressure plates mounted therein



P 1951 E. c. LITTLEFIELD 2,568,286

TUBE DISPENSING DEVICE HAVING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED HOUSING MEMBERS WITHTRANSVERSELY SLIDABLE PRESSURE PLATES MOUNTED THEREIN Flled Aug 14 1950Inuenf r ovnegg vnesT i lefndd fliwwmuv 0m,

Patented Sept. 1 8, 1951 TUBE DISPENSING DEVICE HAVING PIV- OTALLYMOUNTED HOUSING MEMBERS WITH TRANSVERSELY SLIDABLE PRES- SURE PLATESMOUNTED THEREIN Ernest C. Littlefield, Sparta, Mich.

Application August 14, 1950, Serial No. 179,366

' the screw threaded outlet end of the tube at which end the paste isdispensed, be connected with the device or appliance which I haveinvented, the filled tube housed therewithin by closing such appliance,and pressure applied at opposite sides against the tube to dispense oreject a desired quantity of toothpaste at the outlet end of the tube.And such dispensing or ejection may continue until all or substantiallyall of the paste within the tube has been used;

Other objects and purposes than those particularly stated, and novelstructure for attaining the objects and purposes of the invention willappear and be understood, from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the dispensing apparatus or appliance ofmy invention, some parts being broken away and shown in section for abetter disclosure, and

Fig. 2 is a longtiudtinal section substantially on the plane of line 2-2of Fig. 1.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figuresof the drawing.

In the structure disclosed as a preferred embodiment of my invention, ahousing is provided having two sections or halves one of which has anupper side I and the other a lower side I, from each of which spacedsides 2 extend toward each other, each housing part at one end having anend closure 3. The two parts of the housing, at the opposite ends of theupper and lower sides I thereof, are connected with a closure plate 4for the opposite end, by a pivotal connection indicated at 5, so thatthe two halves of the housing may be swung apart about the pivots 5 asshown in dash lines in Fig. 2, for the placing of a tube containingtoothpaste or other similar material therein, the screw cap closure atthe outlet of the toothpaste tube being removed and the exteriorlythreaded outlet end portion of the tube screwed into an interiorlythreaded opening 6 centrally located through the end member 4. One end 3of one of the members of the housing carries a spring latch member Iwhich is adapted to releasably engage with the other end member 3, thelatch extending 5 Claims. (Cl. 222-103) across the juncture between themas shown in Fig. 2, and seating in a recess adapted to receive it.

Each of the upper and lower sides I of the two housing members has anelongated opening 8 therein extending longitudinally of said housingmembers. Through such opening a member 9 slidably passes and at itsinner edge is equipped with a pressure plate In permanently connectedthereto in any suitable manner. At the outer end of each member 9, anenlarged head I] is connected or is integrally formed therewith, so thatby grasping the two heads H in the hand or between the fingers and thumbof the hand, pressure may be applied against opposed sides of thecollapsible tube to force its fluid contents out at the open end of thetube through the end member 4.

The interiorly threaded opening. 6 into which the outlet end portion ofthe tube is screwediis adapted to be closed by sliding closure plate'I2, mounted at the outer side of the end member 4 in suitable retainingguides I3 therefor. Such sliding closure l2 may be moved to its openposition, as shown, when the toothpaste or other contents of the tube isto be dispensed and, preferably, is releasably held in either the openor the closed position by a spring actuated ball latch M, which is movedinto recesses made at the inner side of the plate I2, there being two ofsuch recesses spaced from each other, in one of which the springactuated ball I4 is seated when the closure plate I2 is in openposition, and in the other in which it is seated when closed.

The tube which is to be thus collapsed and its contents dispensed orejected is indicated in dash lines at l5. It lies lengthwise of andwithin the closed housing. The housing parts are swung open about thepivots 5 to substantially the dash line position shown, the closure capof the tube removed and the exteriorly threaded outlet end portion ofthe tube screwed into the opening at 6. The housing is then closed andwill stay in closed position, being retained by the latch at I. Theopenings 8 will be sufficiently longer than the parts 9 which passtherethrough that a slight tilting of the pressure members may be had soas to exert pressure against the closed end portion of the tube [5 inthe beginning so as to flatten the tube more at its closed end than atits outlet end to thus insure the greatest efficiency in getting thecontents of the tube out of it. When one tube has had its contentsdispensed, it may be removed and another put in its place.

The closure plate I2 is to close off the open end of the tube so thatthe contents at such open end do not harden, and also to insure againstthe dispensing of the contents of the tube accidentally or otherwise.The structure described is very useful, practical, is easily constructedand fully serves the purposes for which designed. The invention isdefined in the 'appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive ofall forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a dispensing apparatus a--- housing=-cornprising a plate having annpeningtherethrough adapted to receive the outletien'd of ia'eollapsible tubular container of fluid material, housing memberspivotally connected at one end, oneat each :of the-plate, the-oppositeends of said housing applyin'gipr'essure-to opposite sides ofacollapsible 25 ?tube to force the contents therefrom at itsoutle't'elfld.

F2."Astructurefasdefined in claim 1, each of sai'dhousing members at itsouter side having an elongated opening longitudinally thereof "saidmeans con'nected with each pressure member ""cornprisiri'g' an elongatedmember passing freely through said opening, and means manuall'enga'geab'le for' exertingpressure upon said pressure memberscomprising, heads one at-the outer end 'fm'enibers may be tiltedwithinthe closed-'housing to thereby initially apply pressure at the end ofthe collapsible tube farthest away from the outlet end.

3. In a structure of the class described, a plate having a centrallylocated screw threaded opening therethrough, two housing members ofgenerally-channel form in "eross'sectien, each at one "end of theweb ofsaid-'chanrielhousing member having a pivotal connection to said plate,the pivotal connections being at opposite side edges members-havingxendclosures, whereby when the 'lioiis'ing memb'ers are brought together acompletely enclosed: housing is provided, pressure .plates one withineach of said housing members 'a'daptedto'be located against the innersides of 'the' webszthereoissaid webs of said housing members havingelongated openings therethrough lengthwise of the webs, members securedone to each of said pressure plates extending freely *through saidemngate'd': openings-land a head at "the outer portio'n of each ofrsaids'last mentioned "m'em'bers-adapted to' be manually grasped Lto'movesaid pressure plates toward 'each other.

4. A structure as defined in claimifipandreleasable latching mo'unted onthe e'ndiclo- "sureof one of seiid'hOi-i'sing members for detachableengagement with the end closure of: the other of said housing-memberstoreleasably -securedzhe housingmembers togeth'er in close'dipositioh.

5. Astru'cture as defined in claim 3;andamovable closuremember'at theouterside'of said flrst mentioned plate i movabl'y I meu'ntedthere'onpand adapted to be moved to two pdsitionspin one of which it*C'1'0ses"said threaded fipelii'ng' therethrough and in the other it-uhcovers said open- 'i'ng.

ERNEST C.

No ff'erns lted.

